


Restored

by IceCreamRaven



Category: Castle Rock (TV)
Genre: AU!Matthew Deaver, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Religious Delusions, Remorse, Set in episode 9; Henry Deaver
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-02 18:51:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16310759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IceCreamRaven/pseuds/IceCreamRaven
Summary: "And it-it felt like, redemption. Like he'd been returned to me."Maybe his wife and child fleeing made Matthew realize the error of his ways.





	Restored

His hands tighten around the handle of the bat as he moves toward the door, the faint scratching noise standing out against the quiet night.

He wasn't expecting to see a boy (11? 12? The same age his Henry had been the last time he'd seen him). Standing there, looking faintly shocked.

The shock turns to apprehension at the sight of him and what he holds.

He's had his fill of frightening children, so he sighs quietly and sets his chosen weapon down. He'll have to call someone, the police, child protective services-

But then he calls him dad.

As he directs him to the couch the logical part of him says the boy has something mentally wrong with him, obviously, he only has one son, and this certainly isn't him.

But he knows things. He knows about why he used to take Henry out to the woods 

(in the cold, his poor boy)

he knows that Ruth told him to lie.

He insists his name is Henry

(Henry. Matthew. Deaver)

he even knows how he likes his eggs on the propane stove.

The part of him that spent far to long listening to the voice in the woods (that realized to little to late what it had cost him, what he had cost himself) tells him to be wary, it's too good to be true, he's let the Deceiver in.

But he knows the Deceiver is what is saying those things, not this child. 

When he sits beside him and carefully wraps him in his arms (to his surprise, judging from how he tenses, only to cling to him almost desperately a moment later, like he's starved for affection, his affection) he is sure there's nothing evil about him.

It feels like redemption.

**Author's Note:**

> I can make anyone less of a dick, even Matthew Deaver.  
> Truth be told in episode 9 I think we saw a glimpse of the father Matthew could have been, maybe even was for a time. I think a small part of him regretted what had happened, he clearly missed his son. In this fic I took it a step further, decided that losing them made Matthew start to realize how far gone he was.


End file.
